66 THE FHILOSOPHT 



hog and armadillo kinds. This fubftance, wKich is peculiar 

 to quadrupeds, chiefly covers the trunk, and, by luddenly 

 faking and Ihrivelling the flcin, enables thefe animals to 

 drive off infects, or other ofFenfive bodies. 



The fubftance of the nerves, or organs of fenfation, is the 

 fame in the quadruped and in man. They originate from 

 the brain and fpinal marrow, and are diftributed over all the 

 internal and external parts of the body, in the fame manner 

 as in the human frame. 



Thus it appears, that, in general ftru^lure and organiza- 

 tion, the brute creation is nearly alUed to the human fpecies. 

 Some differences, however, merit attention ; becaufe a flight 

 variation in flrufture, efpecially of the internal organs, is 

 pften accompanied with great diverfities in difpolitions^ food, 

 and manners. 



Some animals feed upon fleflj, others upon vegetables, and 

 others upon a mixture of both. The difpofltions of fome 

 fpecies are fierce ; and their manners convey to us the ideas 

 of cruelty and of barbarifm j the difpofltions and manners of 

 Other fpecies are foft and placid, and excite in us idc^is of 

 ynildnefs, complacency, and innocence. The ferocity of the 

 jtyger and hyaena forms a perfect contraft to the gentlenefs 

 and inofi-'enflve behaviour of the flieep and the ox. This 

 oppofltion of manners has given rife to the diftindlion 

 of animals into rapacious and mild, carnivorous and herbivo- 

 irous. In the flru(R:ure of thefe animals, whofe charadlers 

 are fo oppofite, fome differences have been difcovered, which 

 indicate the intentions of Nature in forming them, and fully 

 juftify the feeming cruelty of their condu6l. 



In all the carnivorous tribes, the flomach is proportionally 

 fmallcr, and the inteftines fliorter, than in thofe animals 

 which feed upon vegetables. As animals of the former kind 

 livefolely on flefli, the fhortnefs and narrownefs of their in- 

 teflines are accommodated to the nature of their food. Ani- 



